


Perhaps it's time to call it a night

by yellowjelo



Series: Kori Tian'otha [14]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Sleepy Cuddles, actions have consequences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 20:39:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16667905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowjelo/pseuds/yellowjelo
Summary: Kori finds his past catching up to him---Kori sat on the floor in front of the fire in the living room. Aymeric sat on the couch opposite him reading a book with Thancred’s head in his lap as the other dozed off. It was about as lazy an evening as you could possibly get in Ishgard. It was very nice.





	Perhaps it's time to call it a night

Kori sat on the floor in front of the fire in the living room. Aymeric sat on the couch opposite him reading a book with Thancred’s head in his lap as the other dozed off. It was about as lazy an evening as you could possibly get in Ishgard. It was very nice.  

The contents of General’s saddlebag was spewn across the floor in front of Kori. Bits of armor, old tools, broken weapons, odds and ends he had no use for anymore and just kinda chucked into the bag without a second thought. He figured it was about time he went through it all and discarded what wasn’t needed. 

He picked up an old shirt and shook it out so he could view it properly when something small and silver fell onto the carpet in front of him. Intrigued, Kori set down the shirt and picked up the object. It was a ring, a silver ring with a large beautiful blue gem in set into it. He examined it for a moment, a memory prickling at the back of his mind. 

“Oh, that’s right,” Kori said softly, “I’m married.”

The mood in the room completely shifted. Aymeric froze mid page turn and Thancred cracked an eye open to stare at his miqo’te boyfriend. The fire was still crackling but the warmth from it seemed to have been seeped from the air. 

“You’re what now?” Thancred croaked out, his voice thick with sleep. 

Kori held up the ring for the other two to see, “I had completely forgotten. I got bonded a while back.”

Aymeric closed his book and took a deep steading breath. Thancred sat up right on the couch and ran a hand through his hair. 

“And you just forgot?” Aymeric questioned. 

Kori recognized that tone of voice. It was the one he used when dealing with politics, when he was trying to mask his emotions and take a neutral stance on a subject. 

“Well it was a long time ago and it wasn’t like it was anything important. We just did it for the free stuff the church gives you,” Kori grinned, “I got a huge cake out of it. Took months to eat.” 

Thancred placed a hand on Aymeric’s shoulder and squeezed it, “Do you remember who you were bonded too?”

“Tirris,” Kori said very quickly as he reached for the shirt again, “That must have been where this suit came from. Man it’s wrinkled.” 

“That’s the lalafellan healer in your free company, correct?” Thancred continued, ignoring Kori’s comment. 

“That’s her. I wonder if she still has her ring. Well I guess I could teleport and find out,” he set the shirt aside and continued to dig through the pile around him.

“Kori, love,” Aymeric began, “Could you stop for a moment and tell us exactly what the circumstances were with your eternal bonding?”

Kori’s ear twisted in Aymeric’s direction and he leaned back on his hands looking up at the two of them, “Well, I found an add for it and discovered I could get a bunch of free stuff for getting married so Tirris and I decided we would split the goods. That’s just about it really.” 

“So you pledged yourself to be bonded for life to another person in front of the twelve for a cake and a shirt,” Aymeric said slowly making sure he understood exactly what was going on in Kori’s mind. 

“That’s the gist of it yeah,” Kori looked from Aymeric’s exhausted face to Thancred’s worried one and then back down to the ring in his hand, “What’s the big deal about it?”

Thancred sighed and leaned forward, “Kori, when you were going through the pilgrimage to get bonded did you stop to wonder what would happen if you actually were to find someone you wanted to get bonded with for reasons other than material?”   

“Well no, I mean at the time, this was like three years ago, you knew me back then Thancred, commitment issues and all that. I never once considered I would settle down with someone. It was just a fun thing to do for the hell of it.”

“Right, for the hell of it.”

“What? It’s not like I can’t do it again with someone else,” Kori was thoroughly confused by their reactions. It was just a stupid thing he had done when he was younger. Why were they both freaking out about this so much? It’s not like they were going to be proposing to him and even if they were he could probably just call up Tirris and ask to get it annulled or something. He wasn’t quite sure how the whole marriage/bonding thing worked truthfully. 

“It’s called an eternal bonding ceremony,” Aymeric sounded exasperated, he set his book aside and slid down onto the floor with Kori.

“Well, yeah, sure, but that’s just a dramatic title for it. It’s not like it’s truly eternal,” Kori gave him his best reassuring smile and blossomed a bit when Aymeric gave him a small smile back before taking his hand. 

“It is absolutely meant to be everlasting,” Aymeric said and traced patterns over Kori’s palm, “You can’t just turn the ring back into the church and say ‘just kidding.’” 

“Okay, there’s gotta be a way though. What if someone ended up not liking the person they bonded too? The church has to have a way to get rid of the marriage or something,” Kori watched Aymeric’s finger a small feeling of dread starting to settle into his stomach. 

“There is a way. It’s long and it’s hard and it requires both of you to testify to the church. At least that’s how it’s done here in Ishgard,” Aymeric looked over his shoulder at Thancred  for guidance.

“It’s the same for the church near Gridania. You have to be seen by a court official, go through several trials and meetings before signing the proper documents stating that neither of you believe the bonding is working out,” Thancred said, confirming Aymeric’s suspicions. 

“I guess I could always do that then, if the need comes up,” Kori shrugged, “But it’s not like me being bonded is hurting anyone right now. I had completely forgotten about it anyways. So, I guess unless I wanted to get bonded again in the future it’s not really a problem.”

Kori got the distinct feeling that the patterns Aymeric was drawing were not aimless but actually were all circling his ring finger. The feeling of dread in his stomach tightened and the hairs on his tail started to prick up. 

“R-right?” Kori laughed out looking from one strained face to the other. 

“Thancred,” Aymeric called, “In my desk drawer there are two black boxes, could you grab them for me?”  

It took a minute for Thancred to shuffle off to Aymeric’s office. A minute that seemed to last a lifetime while Kori sat in Aymeric’s grasp, tail thumping against the carpet anxiously. His mind was just screaming  _ oh gods, oh gods, oh gods  _ over and over, stomach sinking lower and lower with each passing second. He had a very good feeling he knew what was in those boxes. He had definitely fucked up. 

Thancred eventually shuffled back into the room and handed the boxes to Aymeric, standing beside him .

“Thank you,” Aymeric dropped Kori’s hand and held a box in each of his, “I was planning something special for this. Lucia was helping me arrange a day off. I am realizing now, that it was probably something I should have discussed with the two of you first before I made a decision, especially with current complications.”

He handed a box to Kori and one to Thancred. Kori slowly opened the lid, almost as if expecting a primal to jump out at him. It was as he feared, inside sat a small silver band, not yet imbued with aether but stunning all the same. Kori could feel a lump forming in his throat and the beginning of tears sting his eyes. He swallowed hard. 

“Aymeric,” Thancred was the first to speak, “I don’t know what to say. Are you trying to make a proposal right now?”

“Given the current circumstances, I don’t think that would be wise. Not at least, until, we fix Kori’s current situation but eventually, yes, it was something I had on my mind,” Aymeric said, a little triumphantly. It was hard to make Thancred blush but there he was, cheeks tinged pink as if he had been drinking all night. 

“While I do agree that now is not the best time,” Thancred replied and closed the lid on the box, “I would not be inclined to deny such a proposal if the time were to come.”  

Kori bit his lower lip and just stared at the ring while the other two conversed. His heart ached. He wanted to climb into Aymeric’s lap right at that moment and kiss him silly, screaming yes he would marry him all day any day. Unfortunately, it seemed he had ruined any chance of that happening for a long while. 

“I’m sorry,” his voice came out small and soft, shoulders hunched over the box in his hands as Kori brought it up and held it tightly against his chest, “I’m so sorry.” 

Aymeric’s warm hand was instantly on him, pulling him closer and into a soothing hug.

“We all make mistakes. Mine was assuming there would be no flaws in my plan but,” Aymeric pulled him back for a moment and looked down at Kori giving him a warm smile, “I definitely should have known better considering who I am with. You make everyday a new adventure Kori and that is one of many reasons I love you so much. This will just be one of those adventures and I am more than willing to go on it with you and see it through to the end. Thancred what do you say?” 

Thancred kneeled next to the two of them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, “Well I’ve stuck with you through primals and more, this will be a piece of cake.” 

Kori’s ears perked up as he looked from one boyfriend to the other. He really was a lucky guy to have such understanding, and willing to deal with his idiocracy, partners in his life. Nymeia had blessed him the day he met them that was for sure. He tilted his head up in Thrancred’s direction and the other placed a kiss upon his lips before settling in against Aymeric’s side. 

“It’s settled then. We will deal with Kori’s bonding as a team. Now, I do believe that this has been enough fun for one day,” Aymeric chuckled and wrapped an arm around Thancred, “Perhaps it is time to call it a night.” 

“Mmm, sounds good,” Thancred mumbled already dozing off again. 

“I should clean up my mess first,” Kori glanced over his shoulder to where his belongings still laid across the floor. 

“I can not believe I am going to say this, but you can clean it in the morning, love. Right now I feeling like indulging in some well deserved cuddles,” Aymeric said. 

Kori scooted closer to the other and rested his head against Aymeric’s chest, tail wrapping around Thancred’s thigh. He was going to have to trust Aymeric and Thancred to help him figure things out. Kori chuckled to himself, it was almost as if they had to go through a pre-trial to prove their bond before going through the church’s trial. If they could survive both, well then they definitely deserved to be eternally bonded. No one would ever be able to say otherwise.    


End file.
